The Arizona Burn Foundation is grateful to receive a $50,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities to support our Helping Others Promoting Empowerment (HOPE) Services. Funding will be used to support HOPE services which begins the moment a burn survivor is admitted to the Burn Unit at Banner University Medical Center Tucson and the Arizona Burn Center at Valleywise. In the initial crisis, short-term emergency needs are offered, including: lodging, transportation, financial assistance, meal vouchers, and emotional support to families. Upon hospital discharge, long-term transitional services, focused on helping burn survivors not just survive their injuries but thrive in their post-injury life. Chloe’s story is a fitting example of this.

Chloe was injured at an early age when boiling water spilled onto her lap. Her mother, like many in the same situation, was uncertain about how to move forward. Thanks to the partnership with the Arizona Burn Center, the Arizona Burn Foundation contacted Chloe and her family to provide her emergency needs and emotional support. Since receiving the Thunderbird Charities grant, the Arizona Burn Foundation has impacted burn survivors and their families such as Chloe’s.

Nick is a parent of a child survivor that attended Camp Nurture earlier this year: a camp for burn survivors age 0-6 years old and their families. This camp provides parents a safe place to network with others going through the same struggles. The 3-day camp also provides breakout sessions such as parenting after a traumatic event, parent guilt, “Communication, Rehearse Your Response, and Bullying”, music therapy, “Parental Body Awareness” and family/sibling communication.

Camp Nurture is only one out of six different camps run by the Arizona Burn Foundation, other camps include; Camp Thrive, age 18-25, Camp Connection, for survivors and their partners ages 25+, Camp Courage, ages 6-20, Camp Hope, burn survivors ages 18+, and Camp Community, for burn survivors of all ages and their families.

With thousands of burn cases being reported per year, the need for services and programs for the burn community has never been greater. Severe burn injuries are catastrophic and last a lifetime. Despite months of medical treatment and surgeries, the physical and emotional scars may never heal. Many burn survivors suffer from depression, anxiety and PTSD. Burn survivors of all ages go through various stages in their emotional healing and often struggle with finding support. Without services and programs like ABF that provide emotional healing and hope, a burn survivor and their family may never thrive again!